2Th 3:5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of Christ
Sunday, 29 June 2008
Grace of God
2Th 3:5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of Christ
God's Promise to Fight for His People
God's promises had guaranteed that Israel would be delivered from bondage in Egypt. Here, God promises to fight for His people, assuring them of victory in battle as they entered the Promised Land.
There would be many battles as God's people went into the land. Ungodly nations would persistently oppose them. Moses, as God's spokesperson, expresses the Lord's commitment to do battle for Israel. "The LORD your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you." The Lord had done mighty things for Israel in bringing them out of Egypt. Now, Moses assures them that God will act again on their behalf "according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes."
Later, the Lord Himself reassured Joshua of similar truth. "No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life." Many would try to come against the people of God under Joshua's leadership. Yet, God pledged the same faithfulness to Joshua that Moses had enjoyed. "As I was with Moses, so I will be with you." Then, the Lord added the ultimate words of reassurance. "I will not leave you nor forsake you." When facing the certainty of battles, there is nothing greater than having God committed to always be present to fight against the enemy. The battle report in one region of the Promised Land gave testimony to God's faithful promises. "All these kings and their land Joshua took at one time, because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel" (Jos_10:42).
We are also engaged in warfare, spiritual warfare. "You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ" (2Ti_2:3). As spiritual soldiers, we must use spiritual weapons. "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds" (2Co_10:3-4). The promises of God are part of our spiritual weaponry. Paul stood victorious in battle by the promises of God. "Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you . . . And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them" (Act_18:9-11).
Wednesday, 25 June 2008
The Eagle (According to the international bible encyclopedia )
“As an eagle that stirreth up her nest,
That fluttereth over her young,
He spread abroad his wings, he took them,
He bare them on his pinions.”
This is good natural history at last. Former versions made these lines read as if the eagle carried its young on its wings, a thing wholly incompatible with flight in any bird. Samuel's record of the lamentation of David over Saul and Jonathan is a wonderful poetic outburst and contains reference to this homing flight of the eagle (2Sa_1:23). In Job_9:26 the arrow-like downward plunge of the hunger-driven eagle is used in comparison with the flight of time. In Job 39, which contains more good natural history than any other chapter of the Bible, will be found everything concerning the eagle anyone need know:
“Is it at thy command that the eagle mounteth up,
And maketh her nest on high?
On the cliff she dwelleth, and maketh her home,
Upon the point of the cliff, and the stronghold.
From thence she spieth out the prey;
Her eyes behold it afar off.
Her young ones also suck up blood:
And where the slain are, there is she” (Job_39:27-30).
Psa_103:5 is a reference to the long life of the eagle. The bird has been known to live to an astonishing age in captivity; under natural conditions, the age it attains can only be guessed.
“Who satisfieth thy desire with good things,
So that thy youth is renewed like the eagle.”
Pro_23:5 compares the flight of wealth with that of an eagle; Pro_30:17 touches on the fact that the eye of prey is the first place attacked in eating, probably because it is the most vulnerable point and so is frequently fed to the young. Pro_30:19 :
“The way of an eagle in the air;
The way of a serpent upon a rock:
The way of a ship in the midst of the sea;
And the way of a man with a maiden.”
This reference to the eagle is to that wonderful power of flight that enables a bird to hang as if frozen in the sky, for long periods appearing to our sight immovable, or to sail and soar directly into the eye of the sun, seeming to rejoice in its strength of flight and to exult in the security and freedom of the upper air.
The word “way” is here improperly translated. To the average mind it always means a road, a path. In this instance it should be translated:
The characteristics of an eagle in the air;
The habit of a serpent upon the rock;
The path of a ship in the midst of the sea;
And the manner of a man with a maid.
Each of these lines stood a separate marvel to Agur, and had no connection with the others (but compare The Wisdom of Solomon 5:10, 11, and see WAY).Isa_40:31 is another flight reference. Jer_49:16 refers to the inaccessible heights at which the eagle loves to build and rear its young. Jer_49:22 refers to the eagle's power of flight. Eze_1:10 recounts a vision of the prophet in which strange living creatures had faces resembling eagles. The same book (Eze_17:3) contains the parable of the eagle: “Thus saith the Lord Yahweh: A great eagle with great wings and long pinions, full of feathers, which had divers colors, came unto Lebanon, and took the top of the cedar.” Hos_8:1 is another flight reference. Oba_1:4 is almost identical with Jer_49:16. The next reference is that of Micah, and really refers to the griffon vulture (Mic_1:16). In Hab_1:8 the reference is to swift flight. Mat_24:28 undoubtedly refers to vultures. In Rev_4:7 the eagle is used as a symbol of strength. In Rev_8:13 the bird is represented as speaking: “And I saw, and I heard an eagle (the King James Version “angel”), flying in mid heaven, saying with a great voice, Woe, woe, woe, for them that dwell on the earth, by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, who are yet to sound.” The eagle makes its last appearance in the vision of the woman and the dragon Rev_12:14).
Saturday, 21 June 2008
Eagles .The creation of God, in Context with the Bible
In Deuteronomy 32:10,11 Moses reminds the children of Israel how God cared for them and guarded them just "like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them on its pinions." Again in Exodus 19:4 God says that "He will carry the children of Israel on eagles' wings".Psalms 103:5 says "who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagles." A time of renewal is necessary for every child of God. A time when we get rid of what is weighing us down, holding us back, aging us spiritually. A time to give up the sinful habits, to give in to the Holy Spirit in whatever way He is convicting us. We need to do this even to the point of renewal with pain! Some things we hold on to so tightly that to let go, actually causes us pain. But in order to have the long, powerful, useful spiritual life that God plans for us, we need to do that. It will renew our spiritual youthfulness.When the eagle is free to soar in God's creation, they are the cleanest of birds. They were created to be free and to soar to great heights. They were not meant to remain close to the earth in the lowlands. They were created to soar. When eagles are held in captivity, they become one of the dirtiest birds.God has created us to remain pure and holy and conformed to his image. Don't allow the freedom we are to experience in Him, to be compromised by spending too much time in worldly thinking, activities, mindsets. Remain clean!Eagles do not fly like other birds, they don't flap their wings but rather soar. Flapping their wings would use incredible amounts of their own strength and endurance and they would require so much more food as fuel if they didn't soar. Instead they sit on a high ledge and wait for the right wind currents to come. When the time is right, they take off and soar upward. Effortlessly, because they have waited for the right time. There is a special 'up going' wind, that they ride as it circles higher and higher toward the sky.What a lesson for God's children to learn. How often do we waste strength by jumping out too soon and 'flapping our wings', instead of waiting for God's timing. Waiting is not a popular concept in these days of instant everything! But when we wait on the Lord - wait for His timing - wait for His answers - wait for His direction, then we can soar to new heights and fly to new places."Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles: they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint."
Eagles are included among the unclean birds mentioned in the Bible
Solomon marveled at "the way of an eagle in the air"
In the Old Testament, prophets spoke of the eagle as a symbol of God's judgment
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Deu 28:49 The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand;
Deu 32:11 As an eagle that stirreth up her nest, That fluttereth over her young, He spread abroad his wings, he took them, He bare them on his pinions:
Job 9:26 They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that swoopeth on the prey.
Job 39:27 Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high?
Psa 103:5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle.
Pro 30:19 The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.
Jer 48:40 For thus saith the LORD: Behold, he shall fly as an eagle, and shall spread out his wings against Moab.
Oba 1:4 Though thou mount on high as the eagle, and though thy nest be set among the stars, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the LORD.
Rev 4:7 And the first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face as of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle.
Rev 8:13 And I saw, and I heard an eagle, flying in mid heaven, saying with a great voice, Woe, woe, woe, for them that dwell on the earth, by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, who are yet to sound.
Saturday, 14 June 2008
a Few Verse on Grace
2Pe 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and for ever. Amen.
1Pe 5:10 And the God of all grace, who called you unto his eternal glory in Christ, after that ye have suffered a little while, shall himself perfect, stablish, strengthen you.
1Pe 1:13 Wherefore girding up the loins of your mind, be sober and set your hope perfectly on the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
1Pe 1:2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
Heb 12:15 looking carefully lest there be any man that falleth short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby the many be defiled;
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help us in time of need.
2Ti 2:1 Thou therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
Saturday, 7 June 2008
THE HOME OF GOD IN THE HEART OF MAN
"Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth Eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite spirit."-- Isa_57:15.
THIS VERSE has reference to God's two Homes--the macrocosm of .the great universe and the microcosm of the human heart. Our God is so great that the Heaven of heavens cannot contain Him, but He is so lowly and humble that He will stoop to fill the heart of a child. He bids us learn of Him, for He is meek and lowly in heart.
The humble and contrite heart. It seems almost too wonderful to believe that the Eternal One will care to come and live with the child of Time; that the Infinite and Holy God will descend to the narrow limits of a human heart! (see Joh_14:23).